Coloring+book+masterpieces

Trina Garcia email-tippiegarcia@cox.net || ||
 * || =Coloring Book Masterpieces=

Overview
Can you name the artwork when all that is visible is a small coloring book outline section of a masterpiece, simple black lines around white spaces? If the same section is in color, would it be easier? If you can mix colors to match each color in the sample, the complete color version of the masterpiece will pop up on the screen. Now can you name the artwork? The faster you can name the work, the more points you will score.

Instructional Objective
Learners will reinforce what they know about color theory while "mixing" the colors on the computer following the rules used to mix paint rather then light. It is important students understand the difference between really mixing paint and mixing pixel colors for monitors and televisions. Even in art history classes the masterpieces studied may vary by textbook, however color theory is part of the curriculum in every visual art class.

Learners
This game is designed for secondary or higher art students and museum visitors.

Context of Use
• Masterpiece copyrights are held by museums, galleries, artists and private owners. This game would have to be created in partnership with the copyright holders. • It can be played in a computer lab, either online at home or school. It could also be played at a museum if their copyrighted artworks are the masterpieces. • Players can choose play level at beginning of game. • Simpler artworks with limited colors are used for beginning images. For example: Piet Modrian's "Broadway Boogie Woogie" is a good beginning image. • Higher-level play involves artworks that have more variety of colors and complicated shapes. • Players compete to complete and identify artworks • Game can be played multiple times because of variety of artworks. • Less experienced color-mixers may become frustrated at higher levels because of subtle differences in tint, tone, shade, value and intensity of colors.

Scope
Coloring Book Masterpieces is limited by the number of masterpieces included. Image examples are limited to 20th century western art at this time. Artworks were chosen because they are images familar to many high school art students and have fewer color variations than other works available. 90 masterpieces would be necessary to create a game with 15 levels. Each level should have six or more artworks with approximately the same number of colors used and color spaces to fill. Because each game level chooses unpredictable, random images, players will try again without becoming bored. Time per level could range from two-to-fifteen minutes depending on players experience and difficulty of level. Game would automatically branch to a new level based on time player uses to solve present problem. Players would seldom play more than three levels, though at least 15 should be available.

Object of the Game
The player wins when they have correctly identified 3 artworks or earned 100 tokens. Tokens are awarded based on how quickly player “mixes” a color correctly. Though the real object of the game is to develop a discerning eye that can identify differences in colors and understand how to change/correct colors using color theory.

Competing Products
[|Arts Ed Connected Playground] has various games linked to museum collections, most are geared to younger students. [|Keith Haring Org] provides images from his artwork that can be arranged and colors changed to create a new piece. Several art history products are designed to explore artworks in visual detail, but none that were checked involved manipulating the image itself.

Design Details
Details of completed artworks would replicate the original realistically, however the beginning image would be a black and white cartoon of the masterpiece. Though it is a violation of copyright law to use Robert Indiana’s original Love image, this cartoon outline of his artwork is an example of a beginning level image. The accompanying image demonstrates how it can be colored.

Game elements that are easily recognized by art students include palette knives, tubes of paint, palette and wiping cloth. They are also familiar with scoreboards that list exceptionally high scoring players.

Cursors would appear as palette knives. Color mixing work area is a glass (transparent) palette where players squeeze virtual tubes of primary, secondary and neutral colors to mix. The glass palette could be moved over the masterpiece to visually match colors. Color will fill the empty space when the pallet knife cursor touches the surface. Any other areas in the image that were similar would fill with color also.

Beginning flow chart of levels shows increased complexity of images and color mixes. However game would actually be random. When player completes a level-one image, any level-two image could be the next challenge.



Motivational Issues
Students enjoy the challenge of using newly acquired skills and knowledge. A page listing high scorers inspires the students who enjoy recognition/competition. The game can also be played anonymously and alone for the students who are afraid others would ridicule their efforts.

Design Process
During the Veteran's Day holiday I went to Nevada to celebrate my daughter's birthday. During lunch I discussed the project with my family and they made suggestions and asked questions that solidified the ideas that were rolling around in my head. Originally I thought of simply an art history identification game, but they felt that seemed too much like a test, and not very enjoyable. We talked about match three, simulation and scavenger hunt games. What made them enjoyable and repeatable? What frustrates players? What can art students learn, review and apply in a game.

As a teacher, I have been frustrated finding games for art class that are not childish. So I wanted to assume that the students already had some knowledge of the content and wanted to build on that content. In a computer art classroom students don't have the opportunity to mix real paint. It is not good for the mother boards or any other classroom technology. Also the web design teacher at my school has helped refine the games concept. It is not a playable prototype at this point.